Casket latching mechanism



1955 B. J. SLAUGHTER, JR.. ETAL 2,723,147

CASKET LATCHING MECHANISM Filed March 22, 1952 BERNARD J.

IN V EN TOR. SLAUGHTER. JR.

A r w/ H/ VA M m,

United States. Patent CASKET LATCHING MECHAN S Bernard J. Slaughter, 11%,. Cincinnati, Ohio, and William Van Pelt, Ludlow, Ky., assiguorstoThe Crane & Breed Casket Company, GiIIcinnati Ohio, a, corporation of Ohio Application March 22', 1952, Serial No. 278,076

21 (Claims. (GIL 292-302) This invention relates. toa sealer type casket. More particularly, this invention relates. toilatchingmechanism for a sealer type casket.

An object of this invention. is to provide a latching mechanism for a casket which draws the lid thereof firmly against a sealing gasket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a latching mechanism. adapted to actuate. a plurality of spaced latches simultaneously.

A further objectof this invention isto provi'dea latching mechanism including a slidablymounted elongated bar having aplurality of wedge/shaped pull-down members which members engage co-operating latch keepers and draw the lid of the casket down against thebody thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rack and pinion for sliding the wedge bar along the casket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rack and pinion operated latching mechanism that can be actuated from a single point at the side of the casket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sealed actuating mechanism for the latch wedge bar.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be apparent and will in part be obvious from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in front elevation, partially broken away and in section, showing a casket which includes latching mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in section taken along a line IIII in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section of the side rim of the casket showing details of the latch ing mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken along a line IV-lV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing details of a latch bar and a support therefor which form a part of the latching mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a bolt which forms a part of the latching mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a latch guiding clip included in the latching mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a latch keeper embodied in the latching mechanism.

In the following detailed description and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Figure 1 is shown a casket having a body 10, and lid sections 12 and 13. Lid sections 12 and 13 may be hinged to casket body 10 in a conventional manner at one side of the casket. The casket shown in the drawing is provided with two lid sections, but the latching mechanism, hereinafter explained, can also be used with a casket having a single lid section.

As shown in Fig. 2, each lid section includes an inwardly projecting border or peripheral flange 14. The body portion includes a similar inwardly projecting flange 16 on; which; a. sealing; gasket, 17 is mounted. When thelid; sections. are closed, the flanges of the lid: sections seat on the sealing gasket: 17.

Each lid section, at the side opposite its hinges, carries a plurality of latch. keepers, 1. 8 which project through flange 14. Each latch keeper, includes an elongated shank 19 and an. eye, 20 at-opposite ends thereof. The shank extends through flange 14 and a backing member 21 of wood or other material. Member 21' is disposed in the rimof the lid. above flange. 14. and takes the load imposed on the latch keepers.

The latch keepers; 18; are drawn downwardly by means ofa draw bar 22 whereby the lid sections are seated tightly on gasket 1.7,.

As more particularly illustrated in; Fig. 5., draw bar 22 includes a; plurality of spaced. wedge-shaped. tongues 23;, there being one wedge-tongue 23 for each keeper 1.8. The lower face 24 of each tongue is inclined to the direction of, advance of the draw bar so that when the draw bar is advanced. to the left, as. indicated in Fig. 3, the latch tongues canengage the latch keepers to draw the lid sections downwardly on, gasket 14.

Draw bar 22 is guided bymeans of a plurality of guide clips or stirrups 2:5- (Figs. 1 and 5). Each guide clip 25 includes aflange 25.. wise firmly attached to the lower face of the body flange 16. As shownin.Fig;.,5, each, clip- 25 additionally includes a U-shaped portion; that. depends from flange 25 and embraces draw bar 22. Each clip 25 is open at the top thereof so that the upper face of bar 22 can engage casket body flange 16.

Bar 22 is provided with a plurality of rack teeth 26, as shown in Fig. 3. The rack teeth are engaged by a pinion 27, through which the draw bar is drawn to or from latching position. Pinion 27 is mounted on and turns with a shaft 28 (Fig. 4). Shaft 28 in turn is rotatably mounted inside a thimble 29. The thimble 29 is provided with an enlarged head 30 which projects through an opening 30' in the rim of the casket body below flange 16. The thimble is held in place in opening 30' by means of a nut 31. A seal is formed between the thimble and the rim of the casket body by a washer 33. Shaft 28 has an enlarged head 34 at its outer end. Head 34 is received in a counterbore in the head of thimble 29. A seal is formed between thimble 29 and shaft 28 by means of a washer 36 in the base of the counterbore.

The inboard end of shaft 28 projects through an opening 37 in a clip 38 (Figs. 2, 4, and 7). Clip 38 forms a back-up member for holding pinion 27 in place on the shaft 28 and in engagement with the rack teeth 26. The pinion is held against clip 38 by means of a washer 39 and nut 41.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the clip 38 has a flat main portion 41. The upper end of clip 38 is bent to form an elongated inverted U-shaped portion 42. Portion 42 embraces the upper edge of draw bar 22 so that the bar can slide through the same. As shown in Fig. 3, the upper edge of draw bar 22 is cut away or slotted, as indicated at 43 to receive the upper portion of clip 38. The top of clip.38 engages body flange 16.

When the lid sections of the casket are closed, shaft 28 may be turned by means of a wrench 44 (Fig. 2) to advance the draw bar lengthwise of the casket rim and cause the wedge-shaped tongues 23 to enter the eyes 20 of the latch keepers. The inclined lower faces 24 of the tongues draw the latch keepers downwardly to pull the lid sections into firm engagement with gasket 17 when the draw bar is advanced.

The casket illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Flange, 25' is welded or other Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A latching mechanism for a casket having rims on the lid and body which meet when the lid is closed, said latching mechanism comprising an elongated bar mounted to slide horizontally inside one of said rims, a plurality of latch wedges mounted on said bar to slide therewith, a plurality of latch keepers mounted on the other rim, each of the latch keepers being engageable with one of the latch wedges, rack teeth on said bar, a shaft rotatably mounted in said one of the rims and extending transversely of said bar, a pinion mounted on and turning with said shaft and in mesh with the rack teeth, said shaft having a head projecting through an opening in said one of the casket rims, a sleeve fastened in said opening and surrounding and journaling said shaft, an elongated clip mounted on said shaft inside said one of the rims between said sleeve and said pinion, said clip having a return bend portion embracing the edge of the bar remote from the rack teeth to maintain the clip in alignment with the bar, means for drawing said pinion against the clip to hold the pinion flatwise thereagainst, the sleeve and pinion holding the clip with the axis thereof perpendicular to the shaft, means forming a seal between said one of the rims and said sleeve, means forming a seal between said sleeve and said shaft, and means for turning said shaft to advance the bar along the rim, whereby when the lid is closed, the latch wedges engage the latch keepers to draw the lid against the casket body rim.

2. A latching mechanism for a casket having rims on the lid and body which meet when the lid is closed, said latching mechanism comprising an elongated bar having rack teeth thereon, mounted inside one of the rims and supported therefrom to slide lengthwise thereof, a plurality of latch wedges on 'said bar, a plurality of latch keepers mounted on the other rim, each of said latch keepers being engageable by one of the latch wedges, a shaft rotatably mounted in the bar supporting rim and extending transversely of said bar, a pinion fixed to said shaft and in mesh with the rack teeth, said shaft having a head projecting through an opening in the bar supporting rim, means forming a seal between the shaft and the bar supporting rim, an elongated clip mounted on the shaft inside the bar-supporting rim, said clip having a substantially flat main portion and an elongated return bend portion embracing the edge of the bar remote from the rack teeth to maintain the main portion of the clip in alignment with the bar, means on the shaft in engagement with the clip to hold the main portion of the clip perpendicular to the shaft, whereby the shaft is maintained perpendicular to the bar, and means for turning said shaft to advance the bar along the casket, whereby, when the lid is closed, the latch wedges engage the latch keepers to draw the lid down on the casket body rim.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

